About This Festival
The Covered Bridge Antique Power Club Tractor Drive is a unique two-day event held in Parke County, Indiana, typically at the Parke County Fairgrounds in Rockville. It features a scenic drive where participants bring their antique or modern tractors to tour across the county, traveling through historic covered bridges and rural communities, celebrating the area's strong agricultural heritage.
The event offers a memorable experience with beautiful landscapes including rolling pastures and livestock, showcasing Parke County's picturesque and historic countryside. The drive usually includes planned meals and snacks as part of the registration fee, making it a social as well as a sightseeing event. All licensed drivers and all tractor types are welcome.
Activities center around the tractor drive itself, traversing various covered bridges and enjoying the ambiance of small-town rural Indiana. The vibe is relaxed, nostalgic, and community-oriented, attracting antique tractor enthusiasts, local residents, and tourists interested in rural heritage and scenic tours.
A rough schedule for the event (June 29-30, 2024, for example) includes:
- Gather and registration at Parke County Fairgrounds in Rockville
- Morning departure for the tractor drive covering different routes with planned stops at various covered bridges
- Midday and evening meals provided for participants
- Option for either a one-day or two-day drive with scenic routes planned to show diverse parts of the county
The event is organized by the Covered Bridge Antique Power Association, a group dedicated to preserving and celebrating the agricultural history of the county. It is part of a broader culture in Parke County that cherishes its 31 historic covered bridges and promotes rural tourism.
Nearby attractions complementing the tractor drive include Amish farms, historical sites, railroad walking bridges, and local ballparks, making the region rich in countryside charm and historical significance. The event contributes to the vibrant rural festival calendar Parke County hosts annually, including the larger Parke County Covered Bridge Festival in October.
In summary, the Covered Bridge Antique Power Club Tractor Drive is a celebration of antique farming equipment, rural landscapes, and historic infrastructure, offering participants a carefully curated, social, and sightseeing experience over one or two days in June.